Garden Ornament and Stake Organizational Rack

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a garden ornament and garden stake organizational rack adapted to support a plurality of articles in an upright or suspended fashion for improved access thereto and organization thereof. The rack comprises a first and second shelf positioned in a tiered configuration, wherein each shelf provides a plurality of apertures thereon to support garden stakes, support posts of garden ornaments and tools therein. The shelves are supported by posts that connect to a common platform. Also connecting to the platform is an angled ornament support arm, wherein the arm provides grooves within which garden ornaments may be suspended therealong in a separated fashion. The rack provides a means to organize seasonal lawn and garden ornaments in an upright and suspended fashion, wherein the ornaments are often rotated between seasons and require storage between deployments.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/485,404 filed on May 12, 2011, entitled “Garden Stake Holder.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to organizational racks for gardenequipment, ornaments and tools. More specifically, the present inventionrelates to an organizational rack that provides support for bothpost-supported garden stake ornaments and hanging ornaments, whereinaccess to and organization of the ornamental articles is improved whiletheir overall storage footprint is reduced.

Lawn and garden ornaments are articles that are utilized to personalizean outdoor space or to decorate the space for a given season. Thesearticles generally include an ornamental body structure for a giventheme or style, wherein the body attaches to an elongated post thatforms a ground stake to support the body in an upright position. Theground stake provides a pointed distal end for ground penetrationpurposes, wherein the stake is driven into the soil a sufficientdistance to stably support the ornament for a prolonged period of time.Home owners and decorators find these articles very useful for improvingthe aesthetic appeal of a lawn, garden or similar outdoor space.

Along with ground-supported outdoor ornaments, another class ofornamentation are those ornaments that are suspended from a supportstructure. These include wind chimes, hanging seasonal or holidayornaments and similar hanging ornaments that provide decoration andpersonalization. Wind chimes are adapted to create tones based onmovement of the device in the wind while suspended, while staticornaments are popular during holidays or specific events. Examplesinclude hanging scarecrows or ghosts during Halloween, hanging Christmasornaments and similar ornaments that are adapted to be suspended or hungfrom a support post and in an elevated position.

The present invention is related to a device for storing and organizingornaments of both types, specifically ground-stake ornaments and hangingornaments. The device comprises a rack system that employs a pluralityof stake support locations along two shelves of differing heights, whichallows differing length stake ornaments to be efficiently organized. Acommon base platform connects the two shelves, while an upstandinghanging ornament support arm extends from the base to support hangingornaments in a separated and organized manner. The assembly reducesoverall storage space required for the articles and more efficientlyorganizes ornaments of different style and shape in a single rackassembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Organizational racks have been disclosed in the prior art, includingthose that have been patented or disclosed in published patentapplication documents. Most of these devices relate to tool racks forthe purposes of organizing lawn or garden tools for improved access andmore efficient organization. These devices lack the ability to storeboth hanging ornaments and ground stake ornaments in the same device,and fail to disclose the novel features of the present rack system. Thefollowing is a list of what is considered the most relevant devices inthe prior art, including a description thereof and identification ofdifferentiating features with regard to the present invention.

Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,314 to Beemer is one such device thatdiscloses a portable rack for garden tools that supports tool duringgardening and light landscaping operations. The rack comprises a centralcolumn having a sharpened lower end to allow for ground penetration,while a spade prevents rotation of the column once placed into theground surface. A plurality of laterally extending cross-members providea location for which to secure hanging garden tools and a support forwhich to rest elongated garden tools, eliminating the need for the userto bend over to grasp a tool when switching. The Beemer device providesa convenient, portable tool support for use in the field, wherein aplurality of different tools is accessed for a given task. The presentinvention provides a more efficient storage device that supportsupstanding garden stakes for organizational purposes. A plurality ofshelves is provided having apertures through which to place gardenstakes and other yard decorations, while an upstanding support poleprovides support for hanging ornaments. The present invention is moreadapted for organizational purposes and for storing lawn and gardenornaments, as opposed to a mobile tool support device for use on a farmor field.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,925 to Ratzloff is another device that discloses atool and article rack adapted to be mounted against a vertical wallsurface and support a plurality of garden tools in conjunction with awheel barrow. The device comprises a horizontal rack member thatslideably receives a plurality of brackets, along with sleeves for whichto support upstanding wheel barrow or tool handles. A vertical rackmember is coupled to the horizontal rack member to provide a lowersupport location and offset for the base of a supported wheel barrow.The offset allows the wheel barrow to be supported away from the wallwhile also allowing several tools to be supported by the horizontal racksimultaneously. The Ratzloff device, while providing a tool or articleorganizational rack, diverges in spirit from the present invention,which is a free-standing rack adapted to support upstanding gardenstakes and suspended garden ornaments therefrom. The Ratzloff devicealternatively is related to a combination hand tool and wheel barrowwall support device.

Further, U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,493 to Lin discloses a garden tool rackhaving a hollow rack body having a center upright barrel adapted tosupport a garden tool handlebar, along with a plurality of plugholesabout the upright barrel for supporting garden tool implementsattachable to the handlebar. The rack further comprises a plurality ofanchoring ground stakes extending from the base of the rack forpenetrating soil and stabilizing the assembly. The assembly provides aconvenient, organized array of garden tool implements that are supportedin an upright position and can be accessed individually for attachmentto the garden tool handlebar. While providing a tool organizer andsupport stand, the Lin device provides not means to support gardenstakes and other ornaments, which is a primary concern of the presentinvention. The design of the present invention allows for the support ofvarious garden stakes in an upstanding configuration, while hangingornaments such as scarecrows and similar devices can be suspended froman upstanding support member.

Finally, U.S. Published Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0255883to Boyd describes a multifunctional and rotatable tool storage device,comprising a telescopic tube that attaches a first and second tool traythereto. The telescopic nature of the tubing allows tools to be storedon the trays and the trays to be moved in elevation with respect to theground surface or one another. The trays themselves are rotatable aboutthe central tube, wherein the tube is attachable to a workbench, floor,ceiling or any other similar support surface desired. The trays providea surface to support tools, while a plurality of apertures on the traysallow hand tools to be inserted therethrough. The Boyd disclosureprovides a tool support article having a telescopic nature and aplurality of support trays. The present invention, by contrast, providesa garden ornament and stake organizational tool.

The present invention provides a new and novel means of organizing lawnand garden stake ornaments in conjunction with hanging ornaments. Thestructure of the rack provides support for the ground stake portion ofthe ornaments, including those of differing lengths, while alsoproviding a support arm for storing hanging ornaments in a suspendedstate for prolonged periods. The rack system organizes ornaments ofthese two types, which is particularly useful for seasonal or holidayornaments that are regularly changed and stored between uses. Itsubstantially diverges in design elements from the prior art andconsequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for animprovement to existing organizational rack devices. In this regard theinstant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types oforganizational racks now present in the prior art, the present inventionprovides a new organizational rack wherein the same can be utilized forproviding convenience for the user when storing and efficientlyorganizing both ground stake and hanging ornaments between uses.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved organizational rack device that has all of the advantages ofthe prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide anorganizational rack that is adapted to store both upstanding groundornaments and hanging ornaments in a single rack device, whereinefficient storage is facilitated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an organizationalrack that employs tiered shelving having apertures thereon to providesupport for garden stake ornaments in an upright position, whereinstakes of varying length are accommodated and can be stored in anorganized and easily accessible manner.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide anorganizational rack having an angled support arm that supports hangingornaments, wherein the arm comprises several notches to discretelyposition the hanging ornament along the arm without the risk of tanglingor bunching.

A final object of the present invention is to provide an organizationalrack device that is of simple construction and one that is inexpensiveto manufacture.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and mannerin which it may be made and used may be better understood after a reviewof the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows an overhead perspective view of the present rack.

FIG. 2 shows a backside perspective view of the present rack.

FIG. 3 shows a backside perspective view of the present rack in aworking state supporting a plurality of ornaments.

FIG. 4 shows a frontal perspective view of the present rack in a workingstate supporting a plurality of ornaments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like referencenumerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similarelements of the organizational rack. For the purposes of presenting abrief and clear description of the present invention, the preferredembodiment will be discussed as used for supporting both hanging andground stake ornaments. The figures are intended for representativepurposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in anyrespect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an overhead perspective view ofthe ornament organizational rack of the present invention. The rackcomprises a first 11 and second 12 shelf connected to a base platform 18via a plurality of upstanding supports 14. The supports 14 position theshelves in a tiered configuration, wherein the first shelf 11 ispositioned higher than the second shelf 12 for accommodating stakes ofvarying length. Along the surface of each shelf are a plurality ofapertures adapted to accept stakes therethrough, including circularapertures 17 and oval shaped apertures 16 for accepting stakes ofdiffering dimension. The shelves 11, 12 are adapted to support gardenstakes, plant stakes and ground stakes of lawn and garden ornaments inan upright position and in an organized relationship to one anotheralong the surface of the shelves. Corresponding apertures along the base18 are provided that align with those along the shelves for placement ofthe stakes thereinto, preventing the base of the stakes from moving oncepositioned through apertures in the shelves. These base apertures mayinclude through-holes or extend only partially through the thickness ofthe base.

Upwardly extending from the base 18 is an angled ornament support arm13, which comprises an upstanding portion that connects to the base 18and an angled portion that includes a plurality of notches along whichare placed hanging ornaments. Hanging ornaments are thus supported bythe arm in a discrete order and prevented from bunching or tanglingalong the arm. The arm 13 angles above the base 18 and does not increasethe overall footprint of the assembly beyond the area of the base 18.The arm 13 combined with the shelving provides an assembly that iscapable of organizing and supporting two different types of lawn andgarden ornaments: staked ornaments and hanging ornaments. Stakedornaments include garden stakes that support an ornamental body abovethe soil, while hanging ornaments include those that are suspended fromanother support, such as wind chimes and seasonal hanging ornaments.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a backside perspective view ofthe organizational rack of the present invention. As shown, the rackcomprises a first and second shelf 11, 12 that are positioned adjacentto one another and supported at two different heights. Each of theshelves includes a plurality of stake support apertures thereon, whichcorrespond to apertures along the base 18 supporting the shelves. Whilein use, the stake portion of an ornament, ground stake or garden stakesis slotted through an aperture of the shelf 11, 12 and into the alignedaperture in the base 18 for static support thereof. The body portion ofthe ornament is positioned above the shelf in an upstandingconfiguration. The differing heights of the two shelves allows stakes ofdifferent lengths to be supported as necessary, while the angled arm 13provides support for hanging ornaments. The angled arm 13 includes aplurality of notches 19 that are used to separate hanging ornamentsalong the length of the arm 19, while its overall height accommodatesthe length of the ornament and its hanging support structure.

The design of the rack comprises a base platform 18, a pair of stakesupport shelves 11, 12 aligned in a tiered configuration and supportedby upstanding posts 14, along with an angled ornament support arm 13that extends upward from the base 18 and provides a notched length tosupport hanging articles thereon. The first 11 and second shelf 12 donot extend over the ends of the platform footprint, while the arm 13provides an elevated position for which to place hanging ornaments alsopositioned above the platform 18. The goal is to efficiently and neatlyorganize garden and lawn stakes, ornaments and hanging articles in aconvenient and accessible rack that consumes a small footprint in auser's household. Seasonal and holiday ornaments are often changedthroughout the year, and are generally stored for prolonged periodsbetween use, therefore an efficient storage system is preferred forreducing clutter and improving accessibility when a specific ornament isdesired.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are shown a perspective views ofthe present organizational rack of the present invention in a workingstate, supporting a plurality of both ground stake ornaments and hangingornaments. In use, hanging ornaments 21 are suspended from individualnotches 19 along the angled arm 13, while garden stakes and groundornaments 20 are placed through the apertures 16, 17 in the first 11 andsecond 12 shelf. The apertures may be provided in two configurations:circular 17 and oval 16. This allows stakes of different geometry to beaccommodated along both shelves. Further, those stakes having a firststake and a secondary stabilizing stake are supported using a pair ofapertures along the shelf. Larger ornaments 22 having more elongatedstakes 23, as well as smaller ornaments 20 having more slender andshorter ground stakes are able to be supported in an organized andefficient manner via the shelves, while the angled support arm providessupport for hanging ornaments in their deployed state, eliminating theneed to lay down hanging ornaments or compress them into a smallerstate. This prevents tangling and problems when fetching the hangingornament after it has been stored for a prolonged period of time.

In alternate embodiments to the preferred design, a singular shelf ofuniform height may be provided in conjunction with the angled supportarm, or conversely more shelves of differing height may be included inthe design, increasing the overall size of the assembly and the numberof stakes the device can accommodate. In use, the present invention inany embodiment is designed to efficiently organize lawn and gardenornaments utilizing either stake support or hanging support, such thatthese items can be easily stored and retrieved without damage or risk oflosing the ornament. Further, the assembly may be moved outdoors toallow stakes to be withdrawn and placed into the rack as desired, whilethe ornaments are being exchanged or replaced.

Garden stakes and yard decorations may be difficult to store, as homesmay not contain designated storage areas for these items. Usersgenerally hang these items on walls, which can be a waste of wall space.Placing these items in storage bins or on garage floors may causeclutter, and may leave the items susceptible to damage. Additionally,users may have difficulty finding and accessing specific items that arestored on floors or inside bins. The present invention is designed tofacilitate organized and accessible storage of articles of this type,including ground-mounted and hanging decorations. This innovative rackdesign preferably features a first and second shelf level containing aplurality of support apertures. The first shelf can be positioned higherthan the second, allowing support of differing height stakes. Theapertures in both shelves can also vary in size and shape to accommodatedifferent types of stakes and support poles. Users may utilize the rackto store outdoor scarecrow decorations, wind chimes, garden stakes, andother similar decorative, seasonal and holiday items. Its use reducesclutter in households, and may allow users to easily locate and accesstheir lawn and garden items.

In light of the given disclosure and the aforementioned prior art, it isdesired to disclose a new storage rack device that is keenly adapted forstoring lawn and garden stakes, lawn ornaments and hanging articles thatoften require long-term storage between uses. The rack is designed toefficiently and neatly organize these items and facilitate swiftretrieval, while also reducing their overall footprint within ahousehold and during storage periods. It is therefore submitted that theinstant invention has been shown and described in what is considered tobe the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized,however, that departures may be made within the scope of the inventionand that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in theart. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realizedthat the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of theinvention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form,function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readilyapparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalentrelationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in thespecification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

1. A lawn and garden ornament and stake organizational rack, comprising:a base platform, at least one elevated stake support shelf, and anangled hanging article support arm; said at least one elevated supportshelf being supported above said platform by an offset created by aplurality of upstanding supports spanning said offset; said at least oneshelf and said base platform having aligned apertures adapted tosimultaneously support an upstanding stake; said angled hanging articlesupport arm having an upstanding portion connecting to said baseplatform and an angled portion having a plurality of notches withinwhich to discretely support hanging articles therealong.
 2. The deviceof claim 1, wherein said at least one elevated shelf and said angledhanging article support arm being contained with said base platformfootprint.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said rack includes a firstand second elevated shelf, said first and second shelf being offset fromsaid base platform different distances to accommodate different lengthstakes therethrough.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said shelf andbase platform apertures are circular.
 5. The device of claim 1, whereinsaid shelf and base platform apertures are oval.
 6. The device of claim1, wherein said base platform apertures do not extend through saidplatform thickness, preventing said stakes from penetratingtherethrough.